Inside a pure white space.
A featureless silhouette, seemingly outlined by hazy black lines, sat cross-legged.
In front of Her, some golden powder remained, dissolving into the space, quickly vanishing without a trace. The part of the silhouette that could be called the 'head' tilted slightly, as if in thought.
"Hmm, as a cost, your remaining persona is truly interesting. Having acquired it, I can now understand this thing called 'emotion.' I also understand why you undertook such a meaningless and difficult task."
The white figure was newly 'born.' Because Calis sought an answer, there needed to be someone to ask. The program responded to his wish, giving birth to an entity capable of communication.
Theoretically, Calis had brutally betrayed the Honkai, delaying it for nearly a day, but the 'Cocoon' was neither angry nor resentful.
Calis had earned the right to ask through his effort. It was merely a matter of following the procedure, an independent side quest.
In a sense, he was the first winner and also the first loser.
"Knowing the probability was zero, yet still willing to try. It's truly strange. Is this what the 'humanity' he retrieved from the Herrscher of Human Ego pursues?"
The figure tilted its head again. The answer was given, the success rate clearly stated, yet this Herrscher still proceeded resolutely, even though his soul would be annihilated upon contact with the Imaginary Tree, leaving him with no ability to resist.
What is life and death? What is obsession and persistence? It was like installing a Trojan horse, allowing 'Her' to gradually understand. The root of this 'persona' passed through Calis's soul to another nearby location.
Is this the Herrscher of Human Ego?
Born from countless reboots and continuous summarization of countless civilizations' struggles for survival, this low-probability Authority was bound to be influenced by such observation and summarization, often without warning.
Naturally, this served as an experiment. The result was already verified through Calis.
A complete and utter failure. The transformation from a creature of mere instinct ('Beast') to one capable of rational thought ('Herrscher') was evolution itself, and the peak of that evolution was the Herrscher of Human Ego. Yet, the effect was surprisingly detrimental.
This thing was like a Trojan virus, silently influencing the fundamental program. If it continued, the entire 'Herrscher' system would be compromised, resulting in failed products like Calis who abandoned their mission, acting only on personal interest and desire.
They wouldn't just refuse to execute the program; they might even actively rebel.
"It's a good thing I manifested. Otherwise, if this were rooted deep within the core, the next civilization would fail again, and 'I' wouldn't even detect it."
The white figure slowly stood up. She had fulfilled Calis's wish. Conversely, Calis had alerted the Cocoon of End. If the process continued according to the original program, 'She' might never have found this BUG. If the humans of this era had continued to mask it, the probability would have trended toward zero.
The BUG had been exposed. Under stringent logic, there was no need to ponder the next step.
"Then let's fix it. I also want to see what that Outsider looks like. Hmm, is this the feeling of 'curiosity?'"
The Outsider was, of course, Ryan. As early as the Third Herrscher incident, the Cocoon had directly confronted him, understanding his identity in an instant and initiating an anomaly.
Ryan's existence was not written into the original program. The advanced civilization that created the Cocoon could not have foreseen such an oddity. What was that thing on Earth?
The Imaginary Tree, the root of a world system on a multiversal scale. If someone could walk freely in that space and enter this particular leaf, targeting the program would be meaningless. They could crush the Cocoon with a wave of their hand.
Yet, Ryan was not such a major figure. At that time, he was comparable to an ant. 'She' could only rely on self-calculation and continuous trial and error.
The anomaly began then. It could be said that from the moment Ryan stepped on the Third Herrscher to climb higher, an unpredicted path began to extend forward. This was also the fundamental reason why Ryan dared not delay.
Putting myself in the shoes of a scientist, if one encounters a difficult-to-understand substance and their experiments continuously fail while the substance keeps growing, the safest option is to destroy the experiment and the lab, right?
"Now, for the final test."
'She' held no enmity toward Ryan, who had disrupted all plans. Instead, a trace of curiosity and confusion welled up.
Curiosity about why this higher-dimensional being would come to this leaf, and why it would be so weak. Confusion about why such a small flame could not be extinguished, but instead—
A spark gradually grew into a raging fire, now burning right up to the front.
"I hope you can give me the answer."
The white figure vanished, seemingly erased by the pure white space. After a moment, accompanied by a 'buzzing' sound, the space also receded, turning purple and spreading into deep space.
The pitch-black universe appeared. The spatial barrier vanished. The Cocoon, seated upon the firmament, descended into reality.
"End has arrived."
Beep—Beep—
"High-energy object detected ahead."
"Detection signal interrupted—no, it has exceeded the detector's limit!"
"Forty minutes ahead of schedule! Prometheus's calculation contains an error!"
In the Hyperion's bridge, slightly panicked voices rose and fell. Everyone was mentally prepared, but when End truly descended, fear inevitably surged.
A colossal sphere fell from the void, finally revealing its full appearance.
It looked like a meteorite, flashing with purplish-red light. There was a diamond-shaped marking in the center that resembled an eye.
Is She watching me??
Everyone felt the same illusion. Their hearts stopped, and their minds struggled to concentrate.
"Distance?"
At this moment, a voice cut through the silent bridge. Everyone looked back to see Ryan seated calmly in the Commander's chair.
"Twenty-three thousand kilometers! Still outside the attack range!"
The force of habit made everyone snap out of their daze. Now was not the time to be distracted. Every second wasted could mean death.
"It seems the first step of the plan already failed. 'He' arrived faster than expected." Mobius immediately rushed to his side, her face taut.
"Nervous?"
"Of course not! I'm immortal! I can escape even if all of you die!"
Heh. You're so nervous you're about to throw up.
Ryan didn't expose the 'platypus.' He crossed his legs, maintaining a composed expression: "Unexpected, yet reasonable. If everything went according to my script, it would be too embarrassing for the great End."
Theoretically, Prometheus shouldn't make mistakes, but there were no theories when dealing with End.
"Relax. I had Mei build that cannon for this moment. Since 'She' has descended into the real world, the spatial barrier is gone."
Ryan instantly stood up, spreading his hand. Sakura beside him handed him a pistol-like launcher. He flipped the safety cover, revealing a red button inside.
"Werner, is the Genesis ready?"
The face of a blonde man immediately appeared on the screen, sweat pouring down his forehead as he sat in the rear space station.
Outside the window, countless discarded machines floated. They had all been overloaded and ruined in the rush. The 'iron tower' cannon barrel was fixed in the center of the concave mirror.
"Launch preparation complete. Remote control signal clear. Please give the command."
"Inject energy. Target, the Cocoon of End—"
Ryan's eyes showed the characteristic look of the Gospel of Insufficient Firepower. He pressed the red button, releasing the safety cover twice, then took a deep breath.
"This Rhapsody will be played by me first!"
Genesis, Fire.
Simultaneously, 256 Honkai energy storage devices injected energy at once. The terrifying energy was compressed. The radiant heat was cooled at full power by the quasi-Divine Key. Then, thousands of light beams reflected off the concave mirror, gathered at the center, and formed a massive torrent of energy that screamed out of the iron tower.
Whoosh—
The pitch-black space instantly brightened. A kaleidoscopic beam of light grazed the top of the Hyperion. The torrent headed toward the Moon's orbit. The power of this shot was exponentially greater than that against the 'Beast.'
"Giant Gamma Ray. Peak energy is over 20,000 HW. Enough to kill all life on a continent."
Ryan muttered. Fire Moth's technology was not low. With Vill-V's addition, it developed rapidly. With Soul Steel, essentially nanomachines, and Honkai Energy engines, solving the problems of material and energy, humanity could theoretically become an interstellar civilization, at least not weaker than the 'Gundam' worldview.
"I suppose she did a decent job." Mobius rarely praised Vill-V. Fire Moth's focus these years had been on her.
"Then remember to pay her the remaining balance," Ryan said casually, his eyes locked on the light streaking across space. "Probing with the light of human civilization. I've shown the proper courtesy."
The ray crossed hundreds of thousands of kilometers in seconds. Just as the 'Cocoon' descended, it slammed heavily into it. Ryan could see nothing. The dazzling light made the screen pure white.
The incredibly bright, incalculable energy torrent formed a space storm, tearing the nearby lunar surface to shreds. The 'Cocoon's' silhouette was completely obscured, only the spreading purple aura vanished without a trace.
"Ah, well... did we just completely annihilate 'Her' with one shot?" Kevin muttered, looking at the sky. The power was truly terrifying. It was equivalent to hundreds of high-level MANTIS combining their energy. He certainly couldn't block it.
Of course, I wouldn't be stupid enough to stand still and get targeted.So, that's what he meant by blasting End in the face.
He suddenly understood. The nascent Cocoon of End was the perfect target, hit by a cannon blast before fully understanding the situation.
Everyone was momentarily dazed. It turned out that leaving Vill-V at the space station wasn't out of 'care.' The terrifying creation she cobbled together was more useful than a lone warrior.
"Of course not. We're not in a comedy show," Ryan replied casually, but his eyes were locked on the screen, holding a sliver of hope.
The power was immense. Even he couldn't have simply shrugged it off. Vill-V's value was utterly demonstrated at this moment, equivalent to ten high-level MANTIS.
A few seconds later, his eyes twitched again, and a gasp echoed in his ears.
"H-How is that possible!?" Hua's voice was unusually sharp. Even with the rising lunar dust obscuring the view, the 'Cocoon' was still floating above the Moon, completely intact.
"It seems 'He' is stronger than I imagined. No, much stronger." After a brief twitch, Ryan returned to normal. "It's fine. There's no turning back anyway. Inform Vill-V to load the second Genesis shot as quickly as possible. The rest of you, follow me."
Ryan left the bridge without hesitation. He didn't believe the Cocoon of End had no means of retaliation, and his mind was already racing.
The block of the first shot showed no signs of a physical clash. It must have been an application of an Authority. After a moment of thought, the answer was clear.
Control over time and space?
If all rules in the world were categorized, the rules of time and space were clearly the highest. That's why the Herrscher of the Void was so important. As for time control, even the Authority of Ice could only simulate it.
'But I missed the Authority of the Void, and Authority's power is proportional to energy. To perfectly deflect a direct hit from Genesis, how strong is this thing?'
Moments later, Ryan was on the top of the forward turret. Hundreds of MANTIS lined up behind him, looking into the distance with various expressions.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
Some expressions turned to confusion. The object was still suspended above the Moon, like a rock, completely unresponsive.
"Why is there no movement? Is 'He' looking down on us?"
"That's not right. Does 'He' really want to take a second shot? Hitting it a few more times with that power must have some effect."
"That bastard is trying to lure us in!" Kalpas narrowed his eyes, judging by instinct: "The closer we get, the lower our chances of escape. I admit 'He' has balls."
You guessed right.The Cocoon of End is waiting for me.
Ryan nodded inwardly. The distance was too great now. Everyone was prepared to evade. The Hyperion's helmsman was probably trying to snap the steering yoke.
Attacking now would be a pure waste of energy. But it had nothing to do with having 'balls.'
'He' simply didn't care about the risk or whether humanity stopped charging and engaged in an artillery duel.
'That thing must still be connected to the Imaginary Tree. Its energy is virtually infinite. I'd need a hundred Genesis cannons to exceed its defensive limit, and 'He' can erase the space station whenever 'He' wants.'
Tapping his thigh, Ryan immediately began revising the combat plan. The original plan didn't include the option of the Cocoon of End standing still and allowing Fire Moth to attack.
Fortunately, adjusting the plan based on reality was where he excelled over Mei.
"The Hyperion will slow down after reaching the maximum range of the main cannon. The regular MANTIS will stay behind. Kevin, Elysia, Kalpas, Andavich, the four of you will follow me first."
"Are we going to probe?" Kevin snapped back.
"Yes. We'll be flies to harass 'Him.' I don't believe this thing only has one phase. That massive size is right up my alley," Ryan licked his lips, then emphasized: "Be alert, maintain distance, and don't lose your cool."
"Hmph. I'm mad, not stupid," Kalpas scoffed, knowing exactly who Ryan was reminding.
If they were meant to charge in chaotically for a desperate attack, so be it, but this was clearly a planned operation. He wasn't going to foolishly charge in and seek death.
Under tense gazes, the five immediately shot out of the battleship. No one was scrambling for position. Everything was done according to Ryan's demands.
In terms of speed, they were no slower than the Hyperion. The Authority of Stars was particularly useful in space. A slight exertion of force could launch a person a great distance.
"Be careful. You should all be able to feel it."
No one replied. They only nodded, their faces taut, because they now distinctly felt a sense of 'focus.' It was as if the eye in the sky was watching them, observing them.
This proved the Cocoon of End wasn't fighting mechanically. 'She' had a subjective consciousness and could distinguish between primary and secondary targets. This was dangerous.
"It feels like dancing on a knife's edge."
"Nonsense. This thing is alive!"
As they drew closer, the feeling of being watched became more apparent. Just as they braced their muscles, a burst of gravity exploded, pushing them away in all directions.
"Scatter."
Ryan didn't hesitate. He then saw a flash of bright light illuminating his side profile. A sphere made purely of Honkai energy rose in the center of the team.
The first counterattack, and it's incredibly powerful!
The light sphere engulfed the surrounding few kilometers. The accompanying drones vanished without a trace. The most terrifying thing was the lack of warning. He had reacted purely on instinct.
Tens of thousands of kilometers. Pinpoint detonation. Should I be surprised?
Ryan's eyes narrowed. Fortunately, he was mentally prepared and quickly regained his composure.
"Disperse and approach. Maintain your distance."
Having dropped that instruction, he flew toward the lunar surface, making no attempt to hide. He led the charge, only to find that drawing fire was utterly unnecessary.
Clusters of light spheres bloomed, looking like a string of pearls. They attacked everyone simultaneously. Ryan was instantly grateful he hadn't called everyone for the charge, or they wouldn't have been enough for the Cocoon of End's pinpoint detonation.
'At least Elysia and the others are strong enough to keep up with me.'
Ryan didn't look back. The Authority of Stars made his movements ghost-like. Each flicker covered several kilometers. He watched the light spheres explode one after another. The wave of energy, like a giant tide, slammed into his body, then vanished without a trace.
Great power, secretive attack, but not enough.
The Moon was close. The Cocoon of End was within reach. Ryan still hadn't counterattacked. He could feel Elysia and the others dancing in the barrage of explosions.
Dodging skillfully, or withstanding the blast with their abilities, or even punching through the light spheres. With all their effort, they were keeping up with his pace.
"How does it feel?"
"Worthy of End. Stronger than I imagined." Kevin sliced through the recently bloomed energy wave, flicked his right hand, and an ice sphere covered Andavich.
The roaring energy quickly dissolved the ice, and the charging giant embraced Elysia. The girl smiled a thank you. Her fully drawn light bow released an arrow that perfectly annihilated a light spot that had just appeared near Kalpas.
"It was very tough at first, but after getting used to it, we can manage."
"Get lost! Who asked you to cover me!"
Elysia didn't mind, firing several light arrows simultaneously, causing the light spheres to vanish before they could explode.
'As expected of you. You figured out the essence of the Cocoon of End's attack so quickly and are hitting the mark.' Ryan couldn't help but smile. The energy singularity's process from creation to expansion took only 'milliseconds.' Elysia could find a solution and break through the seemingly unsolvable attack in such a short time.
Did she link with my intelligence too?
Ryan entertained the thought, then saw the brilliant light spheres suddenly vanish, as quickly and without warning as they had appeared.
A fast reaction...
Ryan was more alarmed than pleased. Only a few minutes had passed. 'She' didn't even bother to try again. Realizing 'Her' trick was exposed, 'She' instantly changed tactics.
"Concentrate on me!"
Kevin and the others, who had been scattered, immediately flew toward him. They saw snowflake-like particles surrounding them, tightly enveloping them.
It was still a matter of milliseconds, but this time, even if Elysia could see it, it was useless. She couldn't fire thousands of light arrows simultaneously. The particles instantly expanded, turning into thousands of azure light spheres that centered on them.
Annihilation Matrix.
RUMBLE—
There was no sound in space, but the feedback of the particle collision echoed in their souls. The distant battleship was struck by the energy wave, rocking as if in a sea.
"This is several times stronger than the Seventh Herrscher!" Hua gripped the railing, crouching low, seeing a second sun appear in the universe.
Vast, immense, and terrifyingly powerful. It also carried the arrogance of a supreme being:
You saw through my attack? Fine. Increase the scale a thousandfold. Can you still preemptively strike?
"Such a small output, and 'She' dares to call herself End?" Mobius scoffed, but her expression grew grave as she looked at her screen.
Output was irrelevant, but the computing power was too strong. It was like fighting a supercomputer.
The explosion seemed to propagate randomly from all directions, but in the calculation model, every light point's position was perfect, maximizing the effect of the energy.
"This is going to be very troublesome. Trying to compete with 'Her' computing power is impossible. Coupled with an almost infinite energy level, let alone defeating 'Her,' we won't even find a flaw." Mobius bit her fingernails, then looked up sharply as the light faded.
The 'sun' vanished instantly. The volatile energy was erased as if by an unseen force. The next moment, a scarlet light spear pierced through the aftermath, quickly stabbing toward the distant Cocoon.
As the light spear vanished, Ryan and the others' life signs appeared on the map. The massive explosion hadn't caused much damage.
"Unless, you willingly gave him the most important Authority!"